Cinderella Man

Pros: Acting, set design, great story, impressive cinematography, very tight script
Cons: none

While filming the Academy Award winning movie A Beautiful Mind, Russell Crowe and Ron Howard began discussing a screenplay that Crowe had grown very fond of. It was a bout a boxer during the Great Depression, who had so much heart, that it seemed like ...

Pros: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, story, direction
Cons: Some scenes are slow and repetitive

The boxing career of James J. Braddock is one that could be compared to that of Rocky Balboa. Braddock, though, was a real boxer who was down on his luck until fate played a hand. One newspaper writer even described Braddock as the "Cinderella Man," ...

Pros: Great story, Howard, Giamatti, Crowe and Bierko
Cons: None

Cinderella Man (2005) is something of a reunion for director Ron Howard and his lead Russell Crowe. Four years earlier they’d combined for 8 Oscar nominations (4 wins) on A Beautiful Mind. Cinderella Man would only foster a further 3 Oscar ...

Pros: visceral fight sequences that are eclipsed by a much bigger story of struggle
Cons: slow beginning, Crowe's tabloid baggage, Opie's coronation as "the director of our time"

I think I may have just seen the best movie of the year. That's awfully weird, considering that last year's Oscar went to Million Dollar Baby, another film about a prizefighter. That I liked this film at all is a tribute to the skill of its makers. ...

Pros: Giamatti, Howard, Crowe, and Zellweger in that order
Cons: Some parts seemed very similar to other boxing movies; Basically predictable

Movies about the sport of boxing are often very action- packed and memorable and they often feature a comeback story where the underdog ends up the champion when the final bell rings. The year 2004 brought us another boxing film and this one follows much ...

Pros: Makes us appreciate what we have. Russell Crowe is astounding.
Cons: Iffy play by Zellwegger

I hate using the words "brilliant performance". If I do, it's usually in the Pros and Cons section. Just as a quick and easy way of saying "Yeah, sure, the actor did a good job." But in the actual review, where all the detail and the truth comes out, ...

Pros: Russell Crowe. No ones needs to say more.
Cons: There is no completely naked shot of Russell Crowe.

This is the story of Depression-era fighter and folk hero Jim Braddock, who fought heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round slugfest in 1935. This is the stuff that dreams are made of. This is an academy-award deserving movie, with a very talented ...

Pros: Russell Crowe, inspirational story.
Cons: One moment that's too Rockyish.

"That's so Rocky!" That was my stepmom's comment at a certain point as Cinderella Man got down to the homestretch. My initial thought was "yes. But with much better acting". Looking back now, I realize that the one moment in Cinderella Man that was ...

Pros: Ron Howard’s direction; fine performances all around.
Cons: N/a

Very few Americans remember the Great Depression, that worldwide calmly (1929 – 1940) that brought even the richest citizens to their knees. It was a dark time in U.S. history and not our finest hour I might add. Americans in general were suffering; ...

Pros: Uplifting, Americana, true story with a pride in America feeling!
Cons: Very little ... a feel good winner!

A 15 Round Slam Dunk Ron Howard is certainly no middle-aged dopey Opy still in Mayberry - at least anymore! The Cinderella Man staring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger with Paul Giamatti as the loyal boxing trainer/agent is a ...

Pros: Russell Crowe, Paul Giamatti, exciting fight scenes, inspiring story
Cons: Minor distortions; packed in light syrup (with traces of blood)

Is Hollywood trying to prepare us for the next Great Depression? First Seabiscuit, now this. Director Ron Howard, writer Akiva Goldsman, and actor Russell Crowe teamed up to make another crowd-pleaser about a man who literally fights his way out ...

Pros: Oscar winning performances, excellent pacing, great editing, phenomenal story.
Cons: Wish it was longer.

With a body of work that includes Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Backdraft, Cocoon, and Parenthood,, Ron Howard deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest directors of our time. However, many of us can't get past Opie Taylor and ...

Pros: Great script, crisp direction; fabulous performances from Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti
Cons: A bit sentimental and cliched at times; may remind some too much of "Seabiscuit"

Do you like movies with scenes that hit you whack in the gut? Look no further than an extraordinary sequence midway through CINDERELLA MAN, Ron Howard's exciting and emotionally absorbing Depression era fable. James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a ...

Pros: Boxing scenes, Bierko, Giamatti, underdog story
Cons: Melodrama a bit much at times, long running time

Cinderella Man stars Russell Crowe as Depression-era boxer, James J. “The Bergen Bulldog” Braddock who engineered a career resurgence the likes of which has hardly been seen in the sports world before or since. Renee Zellwegger plays his wife Mae who ...

Pros: Giamatti, Crowe, Zellweger, Bierko, costuming.
Cons: Howard plays it safe.

Note: In this Ron Howard movie, brother Clint Howard's traditional cameo is as a bald boxing referee! I'm not a Ron Howard fan, but there's little to criticize in his latest effort, "Cinderella Man". It was a thoroughly enjoyable, well-made movie. ...